Fuel burning table lamp

ABSTRACT

A fuel burning table lamp having an upright, central, cylindrical sleeve resembling a candle that is supported with radial legs on a heavy base. A fuel container for fuel burning lamp unit fits in the upper part of the cylindrical sleeve and is shielded by a reflector element positioned on the top of the legs to show the bottom portion of the cylindrical sleeve. The cylindrical sleeve resembles a candle even though the light is provided by a normal wick immersed in the fuel container. The base is weighted to make it difficult to turn over or to carry away. The fuel unit is easily replaceable.

United States Patent Novak et a1.

[54] FUEL BURNING TABLE LAMP [72] Inventors: David M. Novak, 17464 1vy, Fontana, Calif. 92335; Roberty E. Brown, PO. Box 393, Elsinore,

[451 Oct. 10,1972

532,400 1/1895 Seys ........'...240Il7 Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, Jr,

1 Attorney-Carl R. Brown et a1.

[ ABSTRACT A fuel burning table lamp having an upright, central, cylindrical sleeve resembling a candle that is supported with radial legs on a heavy base. A fuel container for fuel burning lamp unit fits in the upper part of the cylindrical sleeve and is shielded by a reflector element positioned on the top of the legs to show the bottom portion of the cylindrical sleeve. The cylindrical sleeve resembles a candle even though the light is provided by a normal wick immersed in the fuel container. The base is weighted to make it difficult to turn over or to carry away. The fuel unit is easily replaceable.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing figures FUEL BURNING TABLE LAMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Table lamps that use candle type light have found wide use in cocktail lounges, restaurants and the like. These candle illuminated lamps generally have a candle positioned near the bottom of a glass enclosure that resembles a glass vase with an enlarged in diameter lower portion that narrows to an opening at the top. When the candle burns, the melted wax flows into the bottom of the container. The glass container is generally made of a translucent, colored glass that shows the candle light therethrough. These candle illuminated table lamps have many disadvantages. It is difficult to light the candle in these candle illuminated table lamps, since the opening in the top of the container is generally too small to insert ones hand and the top of the candle is spaced from the opening in the container a distance that is greater than the length of normal matches or the like. Further even where the employees of an establishment using such a table lamp has special length matches to light the candle, the candles are oftentimes extinguished by patrons of the establishment. The patrons then attempt to relight the candle'by dropping matches or the like into the container. Since it is difficult to light the candle in this manner the usual occurrence is that many matches and other items are dropped into the glass container until the candle is reignited or the whole project is abandoned. These articles normally come to rest in the liquified candle wax. This creates a very unsightly condition within the container of the candle illuminated table lamp, that normally makes it too unsightly for subsequent use.

Further such candle illuminated table lamps are of relatively light weight and can be easily lifted and removed from the premises by a patron. Still further in certain instances, patrons have caused the lamp enclosure to be knocked over or flung in times of frivolity, in which instance the liquified candle wax tends to leave the container and can damage the table on which the lamp is resting or cause injury to patrons. While such candle illuminated table lamps have many disadvantages, and these table lamps are not inexpensive, they do have the advantage of providing the candle light atmosphere desired in the establishment.

Thus it is advantageous to have a new and improved table lamp for replacing the existing and known candle illuminated table lamps, which new table lamps employ a fuel burning light in a manner that closely resembles a candle illuminated lamp, and which fuel burning table lamp has means for providing quick and easy control of the burning flame, and that has sufficient weight and stability to restrict its movement in restaurant establishments, cocktail lounges and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an embodiment of the fuel burning table lamp of this invention, an upright, central, cylindrical sleeve resembling a candle is supported with radial legs on a base. A fuel burning lamp unit comprising a container with a cap and a wick aperture through the cap, tits in the upper opening of the cylindrical sleeve. A reflector element is positioned on the top of the legs and sur rounds the fuel burning table lamp unit. The reflector element projects above and below the fuel burning lamp unit shielding the fuel burning lamp unit from direct view while showing the lower portion of the cylindrical sleeve. Thus from outer appearance, the entire fuel burning table lamp appears to be a candle that is burning inside of the translucent reflector element. However the fuel burning lamp unit, eliminates many of the disadvantages of a candle lamp, such as the melting of wax, smoke and other disadvantages of candle illuminated lamps.

The fuel burning lamp unit is easily removed and inserted into the upper portion of the sleeve. This allows quick and easy interchangeability of lamp units to resupply fuel to the lamp units.

The base of the fuel burning table lamp has a heavy ballast with a cover plate that holds the ballast in position. This heavy ballast gives the lamp sufficient weight with a low center of gravity, that is difficult to easily move. Thus patrons in establishments in which the fuel burning table lamp of this invention are used, do not have a tendency to pick up the lamp and either move the lamp, remove the lamp from the premises or possibly in certain circumstances throw the lamp. Further the low center of gravity coupled with the rather wide diameter base, provides a very stable lamp structure that is difficult to upset.

The reflector sleeve is open atits point of support on the legs, thus allowing material that may be inserted in the upper opening of the sleeve to pass through and out of the lamp structure. Thus should the lamp become extinguished, and it become necessary to reignite the lamp, then matches or the like may fall through the unit and may be easily removed and will not rest in the bottom of the container making the container unsuitable for subsequent use.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved fuel burning table lamp for replacing existing candle burning table lamps.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved fuel burning table lamp that has a weighted base that makes the lamp relatively heavy and difficult to move and also that provides a lamp with a low center of gravity and increased stability.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved fuel burning table lamp that resembles in appearance a candle illuminated table lamp.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved fuel burning table lamp that has an opening therein for passing material inserted in the top of the lamp through the lamp and out of the bottom thereof. 7

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved fuel burning table lamp that has an easy to replace fuel container for the fuel burning lamp unit.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and an examination of the drawing wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the table lamp of this invention, with parts broken away.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the table lamp of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the removable fuel burning lamp unit used in the embodiment of the table lamp of this invention.

Referring now to the drawing, a fuel burning table lamp in its preferred embodiment, has a base 14 with an upright cylindrical sleeve 22 that resembles a candle in its supported position by radially extending legs 20. The legs and the base member may be made integral. A ballast that may be a heavy metal disc 16 is position in the base 14 and is held therein by a disc cover 18 that issecured to the base 14 in any suitable manner. The ballast 16 provides a low center of gravity to the table lamp and also gives the table lamp sufficient weight to make it difficult to lift.

The legs 20 are secured to the centered cylindrical sleeve 22 or are made integral therewith. The upper end of the legs 20 have radial slots 38 on which a cylindrical reflector 24 is positioned. The reflector unit 24 may be made of glass or other suitable material that preferably is translucent and has a color such as red or the like. The reflector member 24 may rest in the grooves 38 or may be fixed thereto such as by adhesives or the like. The upper end of the reflector member 24 has a reduced diameter portion 26 with an opening.

The upper end of the cylinder 22 is open and has a threaded end 34. A fuel burning lamp unit 12 has a container 30 and a cap 28 that screws onto the container 30 by means of threads 36. A wick 50 passes through wick opening 32 with the other end being immersed into the fuel 52.

In use, the container 30 of the fuel burning lamp unit 12, is filled with fluid 52 and the cap 28 secured in position. The fuel burning lamp unit 12 then fits into the hollow sleeve 22 and is threadably secured in position by the engagement of threads 34. The wick 50 is then ignited and the fuel burning lamp unit provides illumination for the table lamp. In viewing the lamp 10 and the illumination through the translucent reflector device 24, the lamp gives the appearance of a candle illuminated table lamp with a candle 22 providing the illumination.

The reflector 24 may either be removably supported in grooves 38 and thus removed to provide easy access for ignition of the wick 50, or the reflector 24 may be cemented or otherwise fixedly attached to the legs 20. The fuel burning lamp unit 12 is-easily and quickly replaced and interchanged with other units providing quick and easy resupply of fuel to the lamp unit.

Having described our invention, we now claim:

1. A fuel burning table lamp comprising,

a base having a ring member with a plurality of upwardly extending legs,

a cylindrical sleeve supported between said legs resembling a candle and having an open top,

a fuel containing lamp unit removably mounted in said sleeve through said open top,

a reflector element, at least partially translucent, mounted on said legs and surrounding said lamp unit,

said reflector element extends above and below said top with the loweredge of said reflector element being spaced from said base ring thereby showing a substantial portion of said cylindrical sleeve below said lower edge,

and said base has a heavy ballast making the lamp heavy and with a low center of gravity.

2. A table lamp according to claim 1, wherein said legs have shoulders on the upper ends thereof and said reflector element rests on said shoulders.

3. A table lamp according to claim 1, wherein said 

1. A fuel burning table lamp comprising, a base having a ring member with a plurality of upwardly extending legs, a cylindrical sleeve supported between said legs resembling a candle and having an open top, a fuel containing lamp unit removably mounted in said sleeve through said open top, a reflector element, at least partially translucent, mounted on said legs and surrounding said lamp unit, said reflector element extends above and below said top with the lower edge of said reflector element being spaced from said base ring thereby showing a substantial portion of said cylindrical sleeve below said lower edge, and said base has a heavy ballast making the lamp heavy and with a low center of gravity.
 2. A table lamp according to claim 1, wherein said legs have shoulders on the upper ends thereof and said reflector element rests on said shoulders.
 3. A table lamp according to claim 1, wherein said lamp unit includes a cap having means for securing it to the upper end of said sleeve, and a fuel containing cup removably held in said cap. 